O’Shae Sibley came to Philadanco as a 14-year-old high school student. A teacher, who also taught at the dance company, recommended that he and one of his classmates receive scholarships.
“He was diligent. He came to class regularly. He worked hard, and he seemed determined to be a good dancer,” said Joan Myers Brown, who founded Philadanco in 1970 because other professional dance companies weren’t accepting Black dancers.
“I’ll start something for you so you can have an opportunity,” she said about her intentions for her students who could find jobs as performers. Today, Philadanco is a nationally and internationally touring ballet company — with upcoming stops in Memphis and Europe.
Sibley studied and performed with Philadanco for more than a decade, honing his skills before leaving Philadelphia to take his career to the next level. He joined the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and was performing with other dance groups in New York City at the time of his tragic passing in July 2023.
Sibley and his friends were voguing to Beyoncé music at a Brooklyn gas station when Dmitry Popov, a 17-year-old who has been charged with second-degree murder and hate crimes, allegedly attacked Sibley — stabbing Sibley, who was Black and gay, to death.
In August, members of Philadanco performed during his memorial service. The dance company also set up a GoFundMe to help offset costs associated with Sibley’s funeral. More money was raised than was needed.
Of the over $20,000 collected, Myers Brown said approximately half was given to Sibley’s mother. The rest was used to create a scholarship in Sibley’s honor. Community members, local leaders, and even Beyoncé contributed to the fund.
“She did not want it to be known that she was contributing — but I think when the news said they were dancing to her music, she was touched by that,” added Myers Brown.
“We now have nine young guys in what we call our O’Shae Scholarship Program,” she said. Tuition is waived for those students, who are ages 12 through 18. The recipients include new dancers and some who were already enrolled in the school. They’re provided with a stipend to cover transportation to and from classes as well as dancewear.
“We will take care of these boys as long as they’re interested in dance training,” said Myers Brown, who wants the scholarships to encourage the boys to continue attending classes and pursuing their interest in dance.
“Times come and go and change — but this stigma that comes with being a male dancer has not changed,” she explained. She said some parents feel unenthusiastic about boys taking lessons or don’t believe their sons could have careers in the arts. She describes Philadanco as a safe place for dancers of all genders and marginalized experiences, including LGBTQ+ students.
“We don’t stigmatize them or point them out,” she said. “We just let them be themselves.”
Myers Brown cares about these students holistically. She often makes suggestions, guiding them as they seek additional creative outlets that match their broader interests. For instance, her encouragement led one student to audition for an acting role in a local stage production.
“I make them aware of opportunities and make them aware of what it takes,” she said.
Philadanco programs — which serve students as young as eight years old — offer a strong foundation for kids who want to develop a technical background.
“Kids look at TikTok and think that’s all it is — but if they’re going to be serious dancers or want to become dancers, they need good training,” she said, underlining her motto: I will prepare myself and one day my chance will come. “But you gotta be prepared!” she added.
Some scholarship recipients could join the almost 30 Philadanco students who later danced with the Ailey company, just as Sibley did.
“There are two boys — ages 17, 18 — who really want to be dancers,” she said, thinking about recipients of the scholarship funding. She said they attend concentrated dance programs at CAPA and plan to study dance in college.
“One thing Alvin Ailey used to say is that when kids left Philadanco and came to Ailey Company, they were prepared to be good company members,” said Myers Brown, explaining that Philadanco students learn how to support other dancers and develop skills that translate well beyond dance — that helped them become good people.
“I think the environment — a supportive environment — is important,” she added. “A lot of the dancers say that when they come here it feels like family — because they feel supported.”
Auditions take place twice per year — on the second Sundays of January and June — but new dancers can enter student programs throughout the year if they’re recommended by other dancers or instructors or have siblings who attend.
Myers Brown encourages anyone interested in dance to learn more about Philadanco programs. She added, “Or they can call, ask for me directly, and I’ll tell them which way to go!”